Post-Winter Weight Gain

If your horse is old, battling a health condition, or a hard keeper, you know how difficult it can be to keep weight on him during winter. It can seem as if he burns through the hay and grain as quickly as you can purchase and toss or scoop it to him. Then, just when you think you cannot handle one more hike in his ration, the temperature climbs, and the grass begins to green. This reprieve might be undoubtedly welcome, but it introduces its own set of considerations; the very forage that brings back his bloom can cause problems, too, from harmful dramatic weight rebounds to metabolic illnesses. So, how can you help him safely regain his pre-winter weight and luster? We’re here to help.

 

Winter Weight Woes

 

Fewer feed options, potentially lower-quality hay, and higher calorie expenditure from heat production makes maintaining weight difficult in winter. 

 

Horses respond to cold in a natural setting by eating more to produce this life-sustaining heat. Researchers have discovered that mature horses’ lower critical temperature (LCT), defined as the temperature below which metabolic heat production increases to maintain body temperature, averages around 41°F (5°C). Age, body condition, breed, season, and climate all can affect LCT. Scientists (McBride et al.) have suggested that adult horses’ digestible energy intake must increase 2.5% for each degree Celsius below LCT. Other conditions, such as wind and precipitation, can also affect horses’ required energy intake. In fact, Kubiak et al. reported that when exposed to cold and wet conditions, horses’ digestible energy needs can increase to 50% above maintenance requirements (what’s needed when they’re not working).